Each year, the lines that divide vehicle categories get blurrier, making the "Best in Class" story that much more difficult to put together. It's hard enough to pick winners for each category; factor in determing the categories themselves, and it's exponentially harder! We also strive to make sure the comparisons within each category are as fair as possible.

That's right. The Ram Heavy Duty takes 36 seconds to hit 60 mph, but that's a good thing. Imagine you're towing 15 tons, on a nice summer day with the AC on, and after three successive runs with only braking in between, the fluid temperatures are still only a few degrees over what it was when the truck was cruising on the highway. An empty Mega Cab Laramie Longhorn took 26-27 seconds less.

The Infiniti JX35 (soon to be re-named the QX60) has been a popular addition to Nissan's premium brand lineup, and has also garnered its share of fans among our staff. Its room for seven, and smooth-running 3.5-liter V-6 paired to a shiftless CVT makes it a relaxing companion for racking up the miles. Staff photographer Julia LaPalme had the JX in her custody when it came up for its second major maintenance appointment consisting of an oil and filter change and tire rotation. The service schedule on the JX was adjusted from Schedule 1 (severe) to Schedule 2 (normal), doubling the oil change interval from 3750 to 7500 miles.

For a lot of people, it was strange enough when Porsche introduced a sport/utility vehicle at all. Yet, once the second generation arrived, the Cayenne was lauded for being more of a Porsche than the first generation was, and the controversy had eased. The Cayenne had been accepted as a Porsche, and as a capable SUV.

In the first update of our long-term 2013 Acura RDX, Motor Trend Road Test Editor Scott Mortara expressed his enthusiasm for the nimble upscale SUV, specifically for its much smoother and more fuel-efficient V-6 over its predecessor's turbo I-4. But driving manners aside, Mortara found some of the Acura's cabin tech irksome.

In families with multiple siblings, there is inevitably one standout that gets more attention and recognition than the rest of them. In the Ford F-150 family, for the past two years, that sibling has been the EcoBoost V-6. There are plenty of reasons to love the EcoBoost, its generous torque and competitive fuel economy (in certain conditions) among them. But there is another part to Ford's half-ton V-6 revolution, with six cylinder models now comprising the majority of F-150s sold.

Holiday season was in full swing, and so was our Frontier. We just had a massive retaining wall built in our backyard. Though we were happy to have the contractors gone and the yard to ourselves again, we were left with fence repairs that couldn't wait.

When it comes to the new 2014 Silverado, we're sure Chevrolet is feeling some pressure. The truck is one of the best-selling vehicles in the Chevrolet stable and key to the brand's ongoing success, and its fans are rabid and vocal. If they don't like it, the world will hear about it online within seconds. Piling on, the last time the Silverado underwent any major changes was for the 2007 model year, and six years is now considered a long time in the truck world. Not only was that before the Great Recession that led to GM's bankruptcy and bailout, but it was also before Ford and Ram (then still sold as a Dodge) came out with respective new technologies that improve efficiency, performance, and the driver interface.

The "we invented the car" folks now selling Mercedes-Benz cars, trucks, and buses like to brag that their Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft ancestors also invented the truck in 1896. Roughly 100 years later, Mercedes introduced the original Sprinter van, which made its splashy North American debut -- all narrow and light and fuel efficient and maneuverable -- in 2001 as a Freightliner, and in 2003 as a Dodge. It got a total makeover in 2006, and this year -- just in time for its first real Eurovan competition in the form of the Ram ProMaster and Ford Transit -- it gets a freshened face, an even more efficient powertrain, plus enhancements in the safety, comfort, and convenience realms.

In our last compact crossover comparison, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 2.0 FWD earned second place (out of five contenders) behind the 2013 Ford Escape SE 1.6 EcoBoost FWD due to the Mazda's surprising lack of Zoom-Zoom-ness. After spending a long day on Pacific Coast Highway behind the wheel of a 2014 CX-5 Grand Touring AWD with the new 184-hp 2.5-liter engine, we think the Mazda has a better chance than ever at stealing customers considering other compact crossovers.

Chevrolet is making a smart business move, and is truly entering the premium pickup market. While the current-generation Silverado's topline model is the LTZ, the next-generation 2014 Silverado will be offered in all-new premium trim: the High Country.

1600 rpm. That's when you really feel it. The smooth, quiet wave of torque is akin to that of a TGV train pulling from its platform. With gusto like this, you'd think the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 and seven-speed gearbox in this 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Bluetec were meticulously assembled by Michael Kubler (Google him) in Affalterbach. The pull is immediate and addicting, and in a 5000-plus-pound all-wheel-drive SUV, it's downright bitchin'.

By and large, the compact crossover segment is not characterized by driving excitement or high performance, and even some former hot rods of the group have been unceremoniously chopped in the interest of fuel economy, most notably the Toyota RAV4 V-6. The Mazda CX-5 is an intriguing recent entry, but Subaru has provided its own unique take on the market for more than 15 years in the form of the Forester. The company has just introduced its fourth-generation model, and it's the most high-tech Forester to date. But in the pursuit of technology and mass-market appeal, has the Forester lost its unique character?

Whether it was the competitive pressure of the new 2014 Ford Transit and, at least in the U.S. market, Ram ProMaster -- or whether it was already slated for a regularly-scheduled refresh, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter gets the van's first comprehensive update since 2007.

It is impressive that a vehicle that is genuinely capable off-road is still such a strong seller. Toyota has done a good job of making sure its 4Runner, which has been on the market since 1984 (it started as a 1984 1/2 model), stay relevant and competitive without compromising its capabilities.

When we tested the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport in Fall 2012, we were impressed with the refinement, tech integration, and style of the midsize crossover and felt that it would make a worthy alternative to many midsize models on the market such as the Nissan Murano, Ford Edge, and Toyota Venza. It was also just the right size to potentially attract buyers looking at smaller vehicles like the Mazda CX-5 and Ford Escape. For couples, active singles and small families, it fit the bill perfectly.

Some enthusiast magazines judge an SUV's worth by how well it can handle the most punishing, extreme conditions, far away from civilization, crawling up over imposing boulders, and driving through three feet of running water. But the fact of the matter is a tiny overall percentage of SUVs in general, and even some of the harder-core models like the Jeep Wrangler ever see this type of use. A more appropriate test for an SUV like the Range Rover Evoque would to take in on a weekend ski trip, something for which the pint-sized, easy-to-drive Evoque is ideally-suited. Although typically in custody of staff photographer Brian Vance, Motor Trend Associate Online Editor Karla Sanchez requested the stylish compact Brit for a ski trip to Mammoth Mountain.

After World War II, Ford was fighting a losing battle to seize Chevy's crown as the king of the truck world. Ford's first F-Series pickup, introduced in 1948, was overshadowed by Chevrolet's more economical Advance Design trucks. The F-100, which debuted in 1953, nearly gave Ford the sales lead, but the handsome Task Force series of pickups unveiled in 1955 shifted momentum back to the Bow Tie brigade.

For the 2013 model year, the Ram 1500 received a comprehensive refresh was named our 2013 Truck of the Year in the process. After spending some extended seat time in a mid-range Ram 1500 SLT Big Horn V-6, our decision to give Ram the award for 2013 was firmly validated.

Nissan's seemingly out-of-the-blue decision to get into the commercial vehicle market a few years ago left many scratching their heads. Many believed the commercial segment was a low-volume, low-margin market niche that wasn't worth wasting time on. But Nissan saw opportunity where others didn't, and suddenly with all-new commercial van models coming from Ford and Ram, Nissan's decision now looks like shrewd foresight.

It seems the world has gone crossover crazy, with the amorphous SUV/wagon variants popping up everywhere, and comprising an ever larger slice of the sales pie for many manufacturers, especially luxury brands. The latest is the Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA, which is being unveiled in Shanghai, a tamer variation of which is likely to show up in Mercedes showrooms around the world in the not-too-distant future.

We turned over 15,000 miles on the odometer of our Nissan Frontier while out camping in Mojave Desert on a photo shoot with Snowmobile and its sweet modified Ford E-series. Motor Trend assistant art director William Walker and photographer Jessica Walker spent the better half of the trip roaming around the high desert and testing out the new Nissan truckbed popup tent for the first time.

We knew we were going to Alaska in winter, understood what the weather reports were telling us about the upcoming week, and bought extra cold-weather gear, but no matter what you prepare for, no matter what it looks like on paper, the reality of a trip like this is always somewhat unknown. We were as prepared as we could be for the sub-zero, 1300-mile drive through Alaska. But how would a caravan of rear-drive Sprinters fare in country that is so severe that only oilmen, big-rig drivers, and reality-show hosts dare visit? And why would Sprinters go there in the first place?

Interstate 40, the third longest highway in the United States, runs 2555 miles from Barstow, California, to Wilmington, North Carolina. Its long stretches of road run through eight states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina) and serves as a major throughway for the nation's infrastructure. Simply because of its sheer length, I-40 sees gets fair share of congestion with all the tractor trailers and other various trucks towing a wide variety of things. The majority of I-40 that runs through California is surrounded by a mix of desolate and rugged desert terrain. So when a fellow staff member asked if I could retrieve her 1953 Chevrolet Hot Rod, which was in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and return it to Los Angeles, I knew the better part of this ride would take place on Interstate 40 among these exact trucks bringing cargo in and out of California.

Ford had a plan when it pulled the Ranger off the North American market last year. It all made sense to kill the Ranger off without offering up a comparable replacement, especially since sales had been sliding for over a decade. Instead of introducing the new T6 Ranger, the same one that 180 other countries around the world gets, Ford bet on Stateside in-market owners to take the step up into the full-size F-150. However, there was a minor issue with that strategy. Those looking to replace their old Ranger aren't taking to Ford's plan. Instead, some are looking to other similar-size offerings from Toyota and Nissan while others are hanging on to what they have.